Poster #159 - Parental Reflective Functioning Mediates the Association Between Mothers' Attachment Avoidance and Infant Attachment Security

• In Event: 1-061 - Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Section - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Integrative Statement

Research has shown that parental reflective functioning, or parents’ capacity to think accurately about their children’s mental states, is associated with adult romantic attachment (Burkhart et al., 2017; Nijssens et al., 2018) and is also an important predictor of infant attachment security (Luyten et al., 2017). Furthermore, parental reflective functioning has been shown to mediate the relationship between adult and infant attachment, suggesting it plays an important role in bridging the ‘transmission gap’ (Slade et al., 2005). However, little research has been done examining the role of parental reflective functioning during pregnancy, i.e., before the infant is born, on the intergenerational transmission of attachment. Given the relationship between attachment representations and adult romantic attachment (Shaver et al., 2000), it was hypothesized that mothers’ parental reflective functioning during pregnancy would mediate the relationship between self-reported romantic attachment style and their children’s attachment security 2 years later.

Participants in the present study included a sample of 120 ethnically diverse and economically disadvantaged women who participated in a larger, longitudinal study on parenting beginning during pregnancy. Maternal self-reported attachment anxiety and avoidance were assessed during pregnancy using the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised Scale (ECR-R; Fraley et al., 2000). Prenatal parental reflective functioning was assessed using the Reflective Parenting Scale (Rosenblum et al., 2008) for the Working Model of the Child Interview (Zeanah & Benoit, 1995). Toddler attachment security was assessed using the Attachment Q-Set (Waters, 1987).

Bivariate correlations demonstrated significant negative associations between adult attachment avoidance and toddler attachment as well as positive associations between prenatal parental reflective functioning and toddler attachment, with a trending negative association between prenatal parental reflective functioning and adult attachment avoidance (see Table 1). No significant correlations were found between adult attachment anxiety and parental reflective functioning or toddler attachment; it was therefore not included in further analyses. Mediation analyses in PROCESS (Hayes, 2013) demonstrated a significant indirect effect of adult attachment avoidance on toddler attachment via parental reflective functioning, as well as a significant direct effect (See Figure 1). These results suggest that mentalizing about infant mental states and the parent-child relationship before the birth of the child is associated with adult romantic attachment avoidance and also predicts later toddler attachment security.

The results of the present study extend upon prior research by demonstrating that pregnant mothers’ avoidant feelings of insecurity regarding romantic relationships is related to poorer reflective capacity regarding their own children and themselves as parents. It may be that mothers who are uncomfortable forming close relationships may also find it difficult to think about the mental states of others, including their children, and these contribute to greater attachment insecurity in children. However, mothers who feel more anxious in relationships may find it easier to think about the mental states of themselves and others. These results also provide support for the use of interventions to improve parental reflective functioning beginning in pregnancy or immediately after the birth of a child in order to promote positive child outcomes like attachment security and social-emotional development.

Authors

• Jerrica Pitzen, Eastern Michigan University
  Presenting Author

• Shannon Franz, University of Michigan
  Non-Presenting Author

• Scott Tomey, Eastern Michigan University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kristin Aho, Eastern Michigan University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alissa C Huth-Bocks, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
  Non-Presenting Author